Q1.

Some students wanted to find the number of thistle plants growing on a lawn.
The students placed 10 quadrats at different positions on the lawn.
Each quadrat measured 1 metre × 1 metre.
The students counted the number of thistle plants in each quadrat.

(a) Which method should the students use to decide where to place the 10 quadrats?

Tick ( ) one box.

Place the quadrats as evenly as possible around the lawn.

Place 5 quadrats in areas with many thistle plants and 5

quadrats in areas with only a few thistle plants.

Place all the quadrats randomly on the lawn.

(1)

(b) The diagram shows the lawn with the positions of the thistle plants and the students’
10 quadrats.

(i) Complete the table to show:

• how many thistle plants the students found in each of the first four
quadrats

• the total number of thistle plants found in all 10 quadrats.

Number of thistle
Quadrat
plants in each
number
quadrat
1
 2

5 1

6 3

7 0

8 0

9 2

10 1

Total

(2)

(ii) Calculate the mean number of thistle plants in one quadrat.

______________________________________________________________

Mean = ______________________________________________
(1)

(iii) The lawn measured 12 metres long and 10 metres wide.

Use your answer from part (b)(ii) to estimate the number of thistle plants on
the lawn.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Estimated number of thistle plants = _______________________

(2)

(c) How could the students make their estimate more accurate?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)
(Total 7 marks)

Q2.
Students used quadrats to estimate the population of dandelion plants on a field.

(a) Describe how quadrats should be used to estimate the number of dandelion plants
in a field.

___________________________________________________________________
 ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(4)

(b) The field measured 40 m by 145 m.

The students used 0.25 m2 quadrats.

The students found a mean of 0.42 dandelions per quadrat.

Estimate the population of dandelions on the field.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Estimated population of dandelions = ______________

(2)

(c) In one area of the field there is a lot of grass growing in the same area as
dandelions.

Suggest why the dandelions may not grow well in this area.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(4)
(Total 10 marks)

Q3.
Global warming may reduce biodiversity in some areas.
 (a) What is biodiversity?

Tick one box.

The different habitats in an ecosystem

The interaction of living and non-living factors in a habitat

The interdependence of organisms on Earth

The total number of organisms in an ecosystem

The variety of different species on Earth

(1)

(b) What gases cause global warming?

Tick two boxes.

Carbon dioxide

Methane

Nitrogen

Oxygen

Water vapour

(2)

(c) Give two effects of global warming that could reduce biodiversity in an area.

1. _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 5 marks)

Q4.
Deforestation affects the environment in many ways.
 (a) Deforestation increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Give two reasons why.

1. _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(b) Deforestation also results in a loss of biodiversity.

(i) What is meant by biodiversity?

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(1)

(ii) Give two reasons why it is important to prevent organisms becoming extinct.

1. ____________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 5 marks)

Q5.
The graph shows changes in temperature and in carbon dioxide concentration in the
earth’s atmosphere between 1860 and 1990.
(a) Give two human activities which may have helped to increase the concentration of
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

1 ________________________________________________________

2 ________________________________________________________
(2)

(b) (i) Describe the changes in temperature shown by the graph between 1860 and
1990.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(2)

(ii) Do the data in the graph prove that increased carbon dioxide concentrations in
the atmosphere caused the changes in temperature you described in part (b)
(i)?
Give a reason for your answer.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(1)

(c) Describe one way in which a change in temperature such as that shown in the
graph might affect the environment.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(1)
(Total 6 marks)
Mark schemes

Q1.
(a) place all the quadrats randomly on the lawn
1

(b) (i) 1 4

2 2

3 2

4 0
all 4 counts correct
1

Total = 15
total correct for their figures
1

(ii) 1.5
allow ecf from (b)(i)
1

(iii) 180
correct answer with or without working

if answer incorrect, allow 1 mark for x 120 or 15 x 20

or x 12 x 10
or 1.5 x 12 x 10 or 1.5 x 120
allow ecf from (b)(ii)
allow 1 mark if only 1 error
2

(c) use a larger sample size / more quadrats

ignore repeats but allow repeat in different places
ignore ‘count them all’

or

use bigger quadrats

1
[7]

Q2.
(a) (placed) randomly
allow description of placement
1

sufficient number (of quadrats) used

1

count (dandelions) in each quadrat

1
 use mean number of dandelions, area of quadrat and area of field to estimate
population
accept (area of field / area quadrat) × mean number of
dandelions per quadrat
1

(b) (40 × 145) / 0.25 = 23 200

1

(0.42 × 23 200 =) 9744

allow 9744 with no working shown for 2 marks
allow ecf from correct attempt at the previous step) × 0.42
for 1 mark
1

(c) Level 2 (3–4 marks):

A detailed and coherent explanation is given. Logical links between clearly identified
relevant points are made to explain why dandelion growth may be limited.

Level 1 (1–2 marks):

Discrete relevant points are made. The logic may be unclear.

0 marks:
No relevant content

Indicative content

factors that may be considered:

competition for resources including:
• light
• water
• space
• mineral ions (allow nutrients / salts / ions from the soil)

reference to why growth may be limited:

• (light) energy for photosynthesis
• water as a raw material for photosynthesis / support
• surface area exposed to light
• sugar / glucose produced in photosynthesis
• (space) to grow bigger
• (space) for growth of root system
• (mineral ions) for growth
• (mineral ions / sugar) for production of larger molecules or named example
4
[10]

Q3.
(a) the variety of different species on Earth
1

(b) carbon dioxide

1

methane
1

(c) any two from:

• drought
 • flooding
• temperature change
allow temperature increase or decrease
• rainfall change
allow rainfall increase or decrease
2
[5]

Q4.
(a) any two from:
ignore CO2 release unqualified

• burning

• activity of microbes / microbial respiration

• less photosynthesis

or

trees take in CO2

do not accept CO2 taken in for respiration

or

less CO2 locked up in wood

• CO2 given off by clearing machinery

2

(b) (i) range of different species

accept idea of variety of organisms or plants or animals
1

(ii) any two from:

• organisms may produce substances useful to humans

do not accept if food is only example

• duty to preserve for future generations

• effect on other organisms, eg food chain effects

ignore effect on human food supply

• loss of environmental indicators

2
[5]

Q5.
(a) burning / combustion fossil fuels / burning wood
accept named fossil fuel
accept driving cars / any vehicles
do not accept burning / combustion unqualified
do not accept factories
ignore factory chimneys unqualified
ignore respiration
 1

deforestation
1

(b) (i) (overall) increase

1

fluctuations
highs are higher and
lows are not as low = 2 marks
1

(ii) no – could be due to some other factor or

could be coincidence or fluctuations ±
same size as the overall rise or large
fluctuations or sometimes when CO2 rises temperature doesn’t
1

(c) any one biotic or abiotic effect eg:

do not credit just “climate / weather change”
allow extreme climate / weather change

changes in rainfall
accept drought, desert formation

ice-caps melting / rise in sea level

accept flooding

changed pattern of winds

changed pattern of migration

changed species survival

changed growth
1
[6]